Improvement in pails and combined hoop and ears



R. H. STILWELL. Poil, and Combined Hoop and Ears.

Patented March 5, 1878.

In Mrz/ar.-

Per M 'fys.

UNITED STATES PATENTV'OFFIGE.

RINALDO H. STILWELL, `OF STOCKTON, NEW JERSEY..

IMPROVEMENTJN PAILS AND COMBINED HooP=AND EARS'.l

Specification forming part of Letters 'Patent No. 201,066, dated March 5, 1878; application filed November 28, 1877.

To all whom t 'may concern.'

Be it known that I, RrNALno H. STILWELL, of Stockton, Hunterdon county,New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pails, &c., of whichthe following is a specification y The novel features constituting this invention relate more especially to the hoop and bail-ear portion of the pail, and have especial reference to the construction of the hoop, the formation of the bail-ears or handles, and the connection of the same with the pail.

The main object of my invention is to improve the construction and mode of vattach,- ment of hoops and bail-ears, so as to combine the hoop and bail-ear or lifting-handle in one and the same article, so that the attachment of the hoop to the pail shall form in itself the means also of attaching the ear or handle without any other fastening.

The essential features of my invention may therefore be stated to consist in a readily attachable and removable hoop formed of wire, and adapted to be sprung into a socketinggroove ofthe pail, and having the bail-ears or handles formed directly thereon by loops or bends in the composing material of the hoop.

In the annexed drawing, Figure 1 presents a perspective view of a pail provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof 5 and Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of my improved hoop in different forms, shown removed from the pail.

My invention has been more especially designed for use on pails and similar vessels of papier-mache.

In the construction of these articles, in which I am largely engaged, it has been found quite desirable to obtain some simple and efficient method of attaching the hoops and the bailears or handles without the use of nails, rivets, or such fastenings. The walls of these vessels are usually too thin to give a good hold to nails or tacks, and, besides, the material is of such a tough and almost impenetrable nature that a nail is with difficulty driven into it, and when driven, is not held with much security. At present, therefore, the bail-ears and hoops are attached by rivets. These require holes to be bored through the sides of the vessel for their reception, and, al-

than is considered warranted.

Papier-mache pails, I should add, .are not usually hooped around the body, as is the more common wooden pail, although it has been considered desirable to provide a hoop near the mouth of the pail, which would impart greater firmness thereto and admit of the vessel being made of lighter stock, with a consequent saving of c ost; but for the reasons indicated no entirely satisfactory mode of attaching the hoop has heretofore presented itself. These, therefore, are the desirable requirements which it is vthe aim of my invention to fulfill, and the means by which I accomplish the same will be now speciically'described;

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, A is the pail,

which I provide with circumferential grooves or corrugations B, extending horizontally around the pail at pointswhere it is desired to provide a hoop. These corrugations are adapted as sockets for the reception of the hoops, and are preferably continued through the wall of the pail, so as to appear bulged or convex on the interior, as shown in the drawing, and thus assist at the same time in stiffening the pail.

The hoop is formed of an elastic ring of wire, as shown at C in Fig. 4;, of preferably a round section, to present a surface of protrudent contour, adapted to readily engage with the socketing-groove B of the pail. The ends of the wire are joined to form the ring by brazing or otherwise, so as to present a smooth and uniform joint, free from protuberances, as indicated at c c in Figs. 1, 3, and 4. The ring C is formed of a snug fit for that part of the pail for which it is intended, and it is attached by slipping it onto the pail, crowding it toward the groove, and springing it into the same, where it thus becomes securely socketed, firmly embracing the pail, imparting a desired firmness thereto, and requiring no further fastening.

For the ordinary paper pail but one of these hoops is required, and this is applied, as shown in Fig. l, near the mouth of the pail, and on the line where the bail-ears are usually attached.

2 Y Y eonoee Y Y To provide the ears for the attechnlentV of Y Y the loail, I form the same directly. on tlieYen-Y circling hoop itself.V Y This, however, is not essential, as the earsmay also he formed! Ysepa- Y rately from sheet metal or other material, and Y then soldered or otherwise xedrmly to the combined in the same article, Vso that the Yat- Y tachment of the VhoopV serves at thesame Vtime hoop, Vas shown 1oy dotted lines in Fig. '4.Y

Y By this means the hoop and the Vear are to securely attach the ears, and this Without any Vfastening penetrating the materialof the Y Y ,pa-il, as at present. Y Y

It will thus be readily observed that, While Y Vthis construction enables snchfastenings to be Y Wholly dispensed with, the connection ofV the ears with the pail is not only thus' rendered Vmore Ysimple'and ready, but it is at the saineV timeal'so much more secure than when: the' ears are separately fixed to the pail, and-for the purposes 'of my invention this method Y is peculiarly adapted. Y

' VFor vesselsrequiring lifting-handles instead YYof `bails,the handles,Ylike the ears,are also: i formed directly on the'hoop by bending loops in the composing'wire of the hoop of a size Y and shape adapted toi the grasp of the hand,

as Vshown atYD' Yin Fig. 3. The meeting ends Y l Y of the loops, as Vshown at YdY d, Figs. land 4,

may 1oe soldered or bound With fine Wire,i`or5 greater strength; but it is not essential,

Y i Y Y VThe describedV modeV of forming the ears or handles directly on the hoop hy'bending loops in: the composing material Ythereoi` will, of

course, also apply to a hoop madeYof sheet Y metal; but I much prefer the wire shown,

V,whichY is simpler, lessV expcnsivaand more adapted for the purposes of my invention.

Although, as before stated, my invention is specially adaptedihrvesselsof papier-mache, Y Y

it is','of course, not coniinedY thereto, but is also applicable to Wooden and metal pails; and l Y Y to adapt Wooden pails for my invention it is only necessary to turn a small groove therein While the pailis being inisheflin the lathe.

l thus,hya very simple'means,rorm the handles or earsand the hoop in one and the Y Y same article, and attach :the same Y nrmly to the: pail Without any independent fastening penetrating the material of the pail., but simply by Ine-ans of a mutuallyadaptedconstruc- -tion of both Vpail and hoop, the Wholebeing of Y Y Y YY Y asimple, inexpensive character, readily and Y qnioklyattaohed, and Y thus fnllyaccomplish- Y Y Y Y Y Y ingthe object of my invention. Y Y Y Y Y VHaring Y thus described my invention, the

features which I claim as new, and desire to Y secure by Letters Patent, are as follows:

Y 1.Y The combination of apail or similar; ves- Y' sel, prcvidedwith a (.zircumferentialsooketing` groove, with an elastic hoop-ring Vof 4WireV Y or sprung ntozthe said groove, snbstantiallyV as shownanddesorihed. YV Y stantially as hereinshown and described.Y

Y In Witness whereof I have hereto subscribed di DGSSGS.

Y Witnesses: Y Y Y CEAS. HIGGINS, S. H. WALES.

my name in presence Vor Y two sobsorihin g Wit-Y i Y Y Y Y Y Q .l nI'NALno H.. srILWELL.. 

